Where to leave tip for room stewards?

[Bethany Beach]

Well, you can tell I am new to cruising. When staying in hotels, I leave a tip every day for the person who cleans the room. On a ship (AB suite, Majesty) . . . (I am assuming that the room stewards are the people cleaning the rooms??)

will we have the same room steward(s) for the entire trip?

will we have more than one person doing the room cleaning?

where would you leave the tip?

if there is evening turn down service, would this be the same person?

would you recommend just giving a larger amount up front or at the end?

 

Just trying to figure out how to give out these tips without running up and down the hallway trying to find people.

[deanaw72]

DH and I have sailed Carnival twice and RCCL once. On the first 2 we had 1 steward and we had 2 on the last (Carnival Miracle last May). You should meet them the first night or by the next morning.

 

As the week progesses, you should figure out about what time they will be in your area and you can give them something on the last day. We always hand directly to the steward for several reasons, but mostly so we know they get it. Hope that helps. Happy sailing!

[suzequ]

Well, you can tell I am new to cruising. When staying in hotels, I leave a tip every day for the person who cleans the room. On a ship (AB suite, Majesty) . . . (I am assuming that the room stewards are the people cleaning the rooms??)

will we have the same room steward(s) for the entire trip?

will we have more than one person doing the room cleaning?

where would you leave the tip?

if there is evening turn down service, would this be the same person?

would you recommend just giving a larger amount up front or at the end?

 

Just trying to figure out how to give out these tips without running up and down the hallway trying to find people.

 

 

BB,

Room stewards are indeed the people who clean your room. They will be with you the entire trip and, my experience with NCL says there are usually two of them per room. They put the room back in order in the morning (after afternoon, if you sleep late) and turn it "down" in the evening.

Please remember to turn the dial next to your room number on your door to let them know the room is available for cleaning. (Some people complain about lack of cleaning and I often wonder if they merely forget to let the stewards know the room is now empty.)

NCL has a "built in" service fee which will cherged to you automatically. However, we have always had wonderful service and leave an additional tip for the stewards on the desk on the last day of the cruise.

Have a wonderful trip!

:)

[Toyz711]

when we were on the star last sept, we had a team of 2 cleaning the room. both were friendly, but the female was super nice. both did a great job and helped look out of my FIL across the hall from us. she was nice enough to tell us when he was still in his room, when we thought he was with the other family members. (health issues)

they were so good, we never saw them in the evenings..just came back to our cute little surprises (towel animals). we looked for them the last night and the morning we were leaving. since we couldn't find them, we just left it on the coffee tray. we did put them names down on the review form. even underlines the names so it would get noticed.

[smeyer418]

Well, you can tell I am new to cruising. When staying in hotels, I leave a tip every day for the person who cleans the room. On a ship (AB suite, Majesty) . . . (I am assuming that the room stewards are the people cleaning the rooms??)

will we have the same room steward(s) for the entire trip?

will we have more than one person doing the room cleaning?

where would you leave the tip?

if there is evening turn down service, would this be the same person?

would you recommend just giving a larger amount up front or at the end?

 

Just trying to figure out how to give out these tips without running up and down the hallway trying to find people.

 

 

 

You have one cleaning crew assigned to your room that does the morning cleaning and the pm turndown its the same crew. I know when I am on the ship the steward comes and introduces himself to us and I see him periodically as the room is available for him and his crew to clean. You can leave it in an enevlope with or without a note. There is stationary in the passenger infomation packet in your room. I never have problem finding them the last night when I want to give the envelope to him/her. I always leave it give it at the end. Some people like to do it before then.

[snorklinbarb]

I always leave the tipping till the end. I like to do it in person and have never had a problem finding the stewards. Find one of them and, believe me, they'll find their partner.:D

 

Plus, it's a chance to see their wonderful smiles again.

[MrLee]

I always just leave it in an envelope at the end of the cruise. If you give it to them upfront some of them will be insulted (looks like a bribe to do their job). Besides, you may decide they did a lousy job and not want to leave any extra. :p I've never known a steward that didn't deserve extra though.

[Bethany Beach]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer my questions. I never thought about the upfront tip being construed as a "bribe," but I can see the point of waiting until the end. As long as I know that the same stewards will be taking care of my room the entire week, then I think I will wait until the day before our cruise ends. I always look around at the cleaning staff in resorts/hotels and see how hard many of them work. After all, I give the pizza delivery guy a few bucks to drive to my house and walk all the way up to my door - doesn't seem fair not to tip someone who spends time cleaning my room. So, even though there is the automatic tip on NCL, I will probably do extra tipping along the way.

 

Those of you who take the time to answer all the questions that I have been reading every day for weeks are to be thanked BIG TIME by people like me who are new to cruising. I feel so much more organized and prepared to make the most of our cruise.

[Dolphins]

I always leave the tipping till the end. I like to do it in person and have never had a problem finding the stewards. Find one of them and' date=' believe me, they'll find their partner.:D

 

Plus, it's a chance to see their wonderful smiles again.[/quote']

 

When you are getting ready to leave your cabin on the morning of debarkation, they will be very busy in the area of your cabin preparing the rooms for the incoming passengers. You will have no trouble finding them and thanking them personally.

[newmexicoNita]

Generally if we are leaving extra and we usually do, we leave the envalope on the bed before the turn down service the last night. Sometimes, if we see the room steward in the hall we give it to him/her in person. I do not like the idea of tipping ahead of time though many do the first day. This seems to me to be a bribe, not a tip. NMnita

[shops54]

I do one more step - I hand each of the stewards their own tip at the end. I am picky about being sure that they each have equal access to the tip. During the week if I ask for something extra I leave the tip on the mirror under a stick note saying thanks - or with a note in the towel animal.

[BethP781]

Just out of curiousity, how much do you all tip in cash at the end of the cruise (not including the automatic tip)? I normally tip $2 per day to the cleaning crew at hotels, but always wonder if I am tipping too little or too much. :confused:

[shops54]

Beth,

My Stewards were especially wonderful on this last cruise so we tipped each of them $20.00 at the end. Normally I think $3.00 or $4.00 a day to share is a very nice tip. They work hard and it is not a great job so housekeeping people always get my best tips - especially if they have children back home.

[um5xno1]

We bring wine on and pay the corkage. To ensure we always have an ice bucket (or two) and clean wine glasses, I tip the steward with a $20 on the first night. Without a doubt, everyday the ice buckets were full and we always had 4 clean wine glasses.

 

We then tip traditionally at the end.

 

I am under the mindframe that the initial tip, sets the tone in the beginning that you appreciate good service, and you will reward good service.

 

Just a different mindset.....